NBA PLAYOFFS
Jalen Brunson scored 23 points, RJ Barrett added 21 and the New York Knicks beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 106-95 in Game 5 to advance to the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs for the first time since 2013. The Knicks controlled a series that was more one-sided than expected. New York won the opener at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, dominated the Cavs twice at noisy Madison Square Garden and then returned to Cleveland to finish the job. Mitchell Robinson added 18 rebounds for New York. Donovan Mitchell scored 28 to pace the Cavs, whose postseason inexperience showed throughout the series. The Knicks will meet the Miami Heat in the second round starting Sunday in New York.
Jimmy Butler scored 42 points and the Miami Heat staged a second straight stunning fourth-quarter rally before winning 128-126 in overtime at Milwaukee in Game 5 to cap an upset of the top-seeded Bucks in their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series. Miami became the sixth No. 8 seed to beat a No. 1 seed in the opening round. The last time it happened was in 2012, when a Philadelphia 76ers team featuring current Bucks guard Jrue Holiday capitalized on Derrick Rose’s knee injury to beat the top-seeded Chicago Bulls. The Heat advance to a second-round series with the New York Knicks beginning Sunday.
Desmond Bane had 33 points and 10 rebounds, Ja Morant added 31 points and 10 boards, and the Memphis Grizzlies staved off elimination, beating the Lakers 116-99 to force their first-round Western Conference series back to Los Angeles. Jaren Jackson Jr. had 18 points and 10 rebounds. The Grizzlies improved to 5-0 in Game 5s played in Memphis. They earned a second straight No. 2 seed by posting the NBA’s best home record at 35-6. Game 6 is Friday night in Los Angeles. LeBron James started 1 of 7 from the field but finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Anthony Davis had 31 points and 19 rebounds for the Lakers.
Stephen Curry scored 31 points, Draymond Green had his highest-scoring game in more than five years and the Golden State Warriors won the first road game of their series against Sacramento, beating the Kings 123-116 to take a 3-2 lead. Green had 21 points and seven assists in his first game back in Sacramento since getting ejected and later suspended for stepping on Domantas Sabonis’ chest in a Game 2 loss. Golden State now can try to wrap up the series with a fourth straight win at home on Friday night. De’Aaron Fox scored 24 despite a broken index finger on his shooting hand to lead the Kings.
Ime Udoka is everything the Houston Rockets were looking for in a coach, and owner Tilman Feritta insists they aren’t concerned about the behavior that led to his year-long suspension from the Boston Celtics. Udoka was introduced as Houston’s new coach Wednesday after serving a suspension this season following the disclosure of an inappropriate relationship with a female staffer. The 45-year-old Udoka, who took the Celtics to the NBA Finals in his only season there, takes over for Stephen Silas, who was fired after three dreadful seasons.
Trae Young's 30-foot 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the Hawks 119-117 Game 5 victory over the Celtics changed everything about the first-round playoff matchup. Boston's series lead is now down to 3-2 and headed back to Atlanta. Though still on the verge of a second straight opening round exit, the Hawks have reason to be confident heading home because they will get back Dejounte Murray, who served a one-game suspension for bumping an official after the end of Game 4. The extension of the series is good news for the awaiting Philadelphia 76ers, who will have even more time to rest before the start of the second round.
The Boston Celtics look to clinch the Eastern Conference first round series over the Atlanta Hawks in game six tonight at 8:30. The Celtics lead the series 3-2.
NHL
Matthew Tkachuk scored six minutes into overtime to help the Panthers beat the Boston Bruins 4-3 and force their first-round playoff series back to Florida for a sixth game. One game after Bruins goalie Linus Ullmark tried to fight Tkachuk, the Panthers forward took advantage of Ullmark’s sloppy puck play behind the net and cut the Presidents’ Trophy winners’ lead in the best-of-seven series to 3-2. Sergei Bobrovsky made 44 saves for Florida, which has won back-to-back games in Boston but lost twice at home. Anthony Duclair, Sam Bennett and Sam Reinhart also scored. Each one gave the Panthers a lead.
Jordan Eberle scored on the power play 3 minutes into overtime and the Seattle Kraken beat the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 to even their best-of-7 series at 2-2. Eberle collected a deflection and buried his first goal of the playoffs past Colorado goalie Alexandar Georgiev. Seattle was on the power play after Josh Manson was called for tripping on Jaden Schwartz on a breakaway attempt in the opening moments of the extra session. Will Borgen and Daniel Sprong scored in the first period to a 2-0 lead. Mikko Rantanen scored twice in the second period for Colorado to pull even.
Tampa Bay at Toronto 7 p.m.
Meanwhile, the New York Rangers are at New Jersey for game 5 tonight at 7:30. The series is tied 2-2.
Winnipeg at Vegas 10 p.m.
NFL
Aaron Rodgers believes he’s where he needs to be. And the New York Jets’ new quarterback thinks they can do big things together. The four-time NFL MVP was introduced by the team Wednesday to much fanfare in the team’s auditorium. Rodgers said it's a surreal day for him and he's looking forward to the new adventure in New York. The Jets received Rodgers, the No. 15 overall pick and a fifth-rounder this year from the Packers. In exchange, Green Bay got the 13th overall selection, a second-rounder, a sixth-rounder and a conditional 2024 second-round pick that could become a first-rounder if Rodgers plays 65% of New York’s plays this season. Rodgers spent his first 18 seasons in Green Bay.
Meanwhile, the NFL Draft is tonight in Kansas City. It starts at 8 p.m. and will be broadcasted by the NFL Network, ABC, ESPN and ESPNDeportes. The Carolina Panthers have the first pick and are expected to choose between quarterbacks Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud.
MLB
Aaron Judge had three hits and three RBIs and dodged an injury scare on his eventful 31st birthday, helping the New York Yankees avoid a sweep and beat the Minnesota Twins 12-6. Gleyber Torres hit a two-run homer and Anthony Volpe and Anthony Rizzo each had two run-doubles in a six-run fourth inning against Twins starter Kenta Maeda. The Yankees posted season highs in hits and runs. They totaled eight runs over their previous five games. Maeda allowed a career-worst 11 hits and 10 runs. He had muscle discomfort in his arm.
The New York Mets extended a losing streak to four for the first time since 2021 when MacKenzie Gore tied a career-high with 10 strikeouts and led the Washingon Nationals to a 4-1 victory. Gore gave up one run, four hits and two walks in six innings for the Nationals, who clinched their third series win against the Mets since the start of 2021. Washington was 13-25 against New York the last two seasons. New York has been outscored 21-9 during the skid, their longest since dropping five from Sept. 21-26, 2021.
Ramón Urías went 4 for 4 and scored three runs, Anthony Santander had two RBIs and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Boston Red Sox 6-2 to win their fifth straight series. Tyler Wells gave up two runs and four hits over 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander retired 10 straight at one point and matched his career high of seven strikeouts. Félix Bautista, the third Orioles reliever, worked the ninth to seal Baltimore’s 10th win in 12 games. Masataka Yoshida homered for the Red Sox, who had won four straight series before Wednesday's loss in the deciding matchup of a three-game set.
Nick Castellanos had three hits and three RBIs, Alec Bohm hit a go-ahead single in the eighth inning and the Philadelphia Phillies overcame an injury to Taijuan Walker to beat the Seattle Mariners 6-5. J.T. Realmuto and Kyle Schwarber also drove in runs for the Phillies, who rebounded from a 5-2 second-inning deficit on a drizzly night. J.P. Crawford hit a grand slam, doubled and singled for Seattle, and Julio Rodríguez also went deep. Walker was removed after four innings and 68 pitches because of right forearm tightness.
Roansy Contreras gave up two hits in six scoreless innings while Ji Hwan Bae and Jason Delay had three hits each in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 8-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Contreras (3-1) took a no-hitter into the sixth inning before Austin Wynns broke it up with a leadoff single and Freddie Freeman singled with one out. Contreras escaped the jam and preserved a 2-0 lead by getting Jason Heyward and James Outman to fly out. Phil Bickford (0-1) took the loss.
Pittsburgh Pirates utility player Drew Maggi made his major-league debut Wednesday night after playing 13 seasons and 1,154 games in the minor leagues. The 33-year-old struck out as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning in the Pirates' 8-1 victory over the the Los Angeles Dodgers. Maggi had been called up from Double-A Altoona on Sunday when star outfielder Bryan Reynolds was placed on the bereavement list.
PREMIER LEAGUE
Kevin de Bruyne scored twice as Manchester City beat first-place Arsenal 4-1 to take control of the Premier League title race. The defending champions remain second in the standings but cut Arsenal’s lead to two points. City also has two games in hand. A third league title in as many years is now in sight for Pep Guardiola. His team is also in contention for a treble of trophies including the Champions League and FA Cup. Arsenal proved no match for City in a game that always looked likely to have a major say in determining who would be crowned champions. De Bruyne scored in each half at Etihad Stadium and John Stones added the other. Erling Haaland completed the rout to make it 4-1 in stoppage time.
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